UNITED WAY OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY
Conceiving the Metamorphosis of Foundation into Thought Leader

The United Way of Massachusetts Bay had reached a watershed: No longer did the organization want to be branded mainly as a fundraising charity, but rather it sought to elevate itself as an innovative thought leader in the minds of Bostonians.

Inspired by a speech in which then-president & CEO Milton J. Little, Jr. asked "Is the American Dream still possible in Massachusetts?" SM& conceived a grassroots panel series to engage both decision-makers and the general public of Greater Boston. Working with Mr. Little and his staff, SM& helped create and promote "Living the Dream," a yearlong panel series covering seven components of the American Dream: housing, justice, technology accessibility, diversity, education, healthcare, and employment opportunities. Beyond bringing leaders together for a multifaceted dialogue, the objective was to demonstrate how thought leadership can translate into action and tangible results.

SM& composed the inaugural panel from a selection of Boston's diverse leaders, to convey the broad view of the issue and set the stage for the topical breakaway sessions. Media outreach and grassroots tactics ensured community involvement and awareness. Mr. Little and co-keynote speaker Eric Schwarz, President of Citizen Schools, greeted an audience of more than 120 Boston-area residents, and New England Cable News anchor Jim Braude moderated the panel of institutional and mission-focused presidents and chief executives. The inaugural panel provocatively analyzed the current state of the American Dream; spurred local media attention; gave momentum to the remaining six panels to culminate in an action plan based on the target areas addressed; and debuted UWMB as the people's think tank of Greater Boston, an organization at the forefront of discourse and action around every facet of the American Dream.